7 Best Cell Plan Consumer Reports 2019 – Top Rated

If you haven’t looked for a new cell-phone plan in a while, you may be paying a price for your loyalty—or your inertia. In a recent survey of almost 120,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, more than half of those who switched providers in the past two years say they saw a big drop in their monthly bill. After making the shift, some respondents said they got more reliable coverage, a bigger data allowance, and better customer service.

And here’s another change: Remember unlimited data plans? They disappeared for a couple of years but then started being offered again by the major carriers. You may not need that much data—and many people sign up for more expensive plans than they need. But if you stream a lot of music or movies over your cellular network, an unlimited plan may be a smart move.

Provider: The First Choice You’ll Make

Go Big or Go Small
Generally speaking, prepaid service from the smaller carriers such as Consumer Cellular, Republic Wireless, and Ting benefits people with modest data needs (web browsing, email, Facebook) and little lust for the hot phone of the moment. Heavy data users, especially those who want three or more phone lines, will most likely be happier with one of the Big Four carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless).

Confirm the Coverage
Large carriers such as AT&T and Verizon have a distinct advantage. They have the country well-covered with high-speed 4G internet service. Use the providers’ ZIP code maps and other resources to confirm basic coverage. But these references don’t take into account small dead zones in your neighborhood or home. (You might want to ask friends in the area how well their phones work in those spots.)

Do You Need a New Phone?

Take a clear-eyed look at whether your phone is past its prime. Here are three cases when it might be wise to replace it:

Your Current Phone Is Giving You Trouble
You can replace a cracked display or an anemic battery (by yourself on many Android phones), but when system improvements from Apple or Google reduce the performance of your phone, it’s probably time to replace it. Ditto sluggish response times, frequent crashes, and a battery that gives out before the end of the day.

You’re Moving to Another ProviderIn the past, switching carriers meant you were definitely getting a new phone. Providers locked the phones they sold into their services. Once you met the terms of your agreement, you might persuade the company to set yours free, but chances are the device lacked the technology to function properly on a rival network. That’s no longer true for all phones: Apple, for instance, sells unlocked phones with the technology to operate in multiple networks. Okay, so you don’t have to get a new phone if you’re switching providers. But it can still be a great idea. You may be able to trade in your old phone for money toward a new one or even replace a model from your old provider with one that’s the same or similar at no additional cost.

You Can’t Resist a New Gadget
These days, annual improvements in handset technology are less significant than they were a few years ago, so there’s less incentive to upgrade. For instance, the iPhone 6s is still recommended by Consumer Reports, even though it was introduced back in 2015 (and if you want a conventional headphone jack, you might be happier sticking with the older model). Ditto for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+. These are great phones—but so are the S7 models they nudged aside in our rankings. Phone cameras and displays have been excellent in many smartphones for several generations now. Only you can say whether the incremental improvements are enough to make you want to upgrade.

Consider Your Options in Operating Systems

Smartphones all share the ability to browse the web and run apps, handle office and personal email and facilitate social networking. But how easily and how well you can do those tasks varies by the operating system. The OS also affects apps selection, though highly popular apps such as Facebook, Google Maps, Pandora, and the Weather Channel are available on multiple platforms. To figure out which OS is best for you, read this article. And although most people tend to stick to the same OS, it’s worth knowing all the facts. A switch could bring you additional features or a way of interacting with your stuff that’s more appealing than what you have now.

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